I'm a recent college graduate living in a duplex with a grad student and a post-doctorate. Every single other duplex home that surrounds us is inhabited by retired couples. Suprisingly enough, they are very friendly and like me a lot. I threw two parties a year for three years, and they had no problem with the bass or the parking or the drunken college kids stumbling on their lawns. Because, aside from that, it was the only disturbance I generally caused them.

The other great thing that worked out with my duplex is that the attatched home, when it finally sold, was bought by a couple who had a home in Florida. They went to Florida in the fall, came back to Williamsburg for winter, back to Florida for spring, and back to Williamsburg for Summer. In other words, they had the exact opposite schedule of the college kids next door It worked out perfectly. And so far, we've had no complaints after 4 years of living here.